[Poetry] Melisande’s hand

My good friend Melisande

Does strange things with her hand

She waves it like a wand

For giants in the land

My young friend Melisande
She leads a quiet band
She does this with her hand
For giants in the land

My good friend Melisande
Makes castles in the sand
Then dances to a band
A princess of the land

I don't quite understand
My good friend Melisande
The leader of the band
Who dances in the sand

But my friend Melisande
Was drawn up from the sand
By God's all-knowing hand
To live here in our land

All these things in her hand
Belong to Melisande
Who draws things with her wand
And makes them live on land

I hope to understand
My young friend Melisande
Who dances to a band
Her world, it must be grand!

This poem is a fun look at stimming, a self-stimulatory behavior associated with autism, from the point of view of a genuine friend. July 30 is the UN International Day of Friendship. If you have a poem about friendship with a person with autism, send it to dropbox4asp@gmail.com, with a brief bio and photo. We will publish selected poems on the ASP blog over the calendar year.

Gomez Family

About the poet: Patricia Marie Grace S. Gomez is a two-time Palanca Awardee for Poetry for Children "Poems from the Pantry and Prehistoric Times" and Short Story for Children "A Thousand Paper Cranes." She also has honorable mention from the Philippine Board on Books for Young People-Salanga Prize for her children's story "Pepe's Gift" about the childhood of Jose Rizal. She lives in Bacolod City with her husband Mark and their two boys Mark Jr. and Malachy.

Posted in: friendship,poetry